In an effort to remain fresh (remember their re-design in Hong Kong?), McDonald’s is testing a futuristic set-up of its restaurant chains with touchscreen kiosks and waitresses. Yes, it’s all quite contradictory but you got to do what you got to do to stay relevant.
These McDonald’s outlets feature touchscreen menus where you can even customize your own burger—a trend that has yet to catch on with fast food joints. With the new digitized system, waitresses come into play along with sleek interiors that make you want to hang out rather than rush your lunch to get to your next appointment.
As Eater points out, it’s a little counter-intuitive given that the nature of fast food is quick customer turnaround and pre-determined meals rather than build-your-own fares. But McDonald’s isn’t clicking with the millennials with their third-wave coffees and Kinfolk-worthy aesthetics. In the past year or so, more branches have closed down than popped up. There has also been a general consensus of the quality of the food going down.
These branches are being tested in key locations across the United States such as California, Florida, New York, and Chicago. The reception has been lukewarm and a little confusing for the customers.
What do you think? Is McDonald’s on the right track to survive the changes of today’s customers or should they just stick to other schemes like an all-day breakfast menu?
[Eater]
Photo courtesy of Eater
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